Characters vs. Plot

Next week is my spring break from school (hooray!) and I've resolved to use that week to solidify an outline for my screenplay. Although according to Script Frenzy rules I can't begin writing until April 1st, I probably should have begun my outline long ago. But even though I haven't settled on a story, I have a good idea of the types of characters that will populate my story, and that's a step in the right direction.

In the past few years I have become increasingly aware of the lack of well-developed female protagonists in movies, and as a young woman, I find this extremely frustrating. The assumption seems to be that while all audiences can relate to male heroes, only women can relate to female characters. But I can't help but wonder if it's because men actually feel alienated from women or if it's because female characters often lack the dimension and complexity given to male characters.[[MORE]]

So in my script I plan on doing away with flat female supporting characters by featuring an almost-all-female cast. And instead of perpetuating the Sex and the City stereotypes that women are catty, materialistic man-hunters, I want to explore the depth of female identity and sisterly camaraderie by developing female characters that are not primarily concerned with securing a man.

But while I've already developed some of the quirks and features of my main characters, I still need to come up with the story that's going to bring everything together. So I have my fingers crossed that next week will be as productive as it needs to be. April is just around the corner!

What comes first in your writing process, the plot or the characters? What are some of your all-time favorite female characters?

-Jessie

Photo by Flickr user scarletwrench